With less than a month to remove ice shelters from the lakes in Scott County (deadline is March 6, 2023), the Sheriff’s Office is reminding people to remove not only the shelters, but everything else that was brought onto the lake.
It is illegal to improperly dispose of garbage, sewage or wastewater, or to leave shelters (or pieces of them) on the ice anywhere in Minnesota. Trash left behind can have an impact on the environment - what stays on the ice, stays in the lake. If it is not removed before the ice melts, it ends up in the lake or river, where it can pollute the water and harm aquatic life.
“Because we can’t be everywhere at once, it’s difficult for us to catch people littering,” said Sheriff Luke Hennen. “Our residents are the eyes and ears of our community, so we encourage people to contact us if they see littering in progress or to report any litter they encounter.”
You are the first line of defense against litter and there are several ways to report it in Scott County:
- Call the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 952-445-1411
- Submit a Crime Tip using the online form found on the Sheriff’s Office website under “Community”
- Call Crime Stoppers toll free from anywhere in Minnesota (1-800-222-TIPS [8477]) or use their online form on their website at www.CrimeStoppersMN.org
For information on ice shelter removal deadlines, visit the MN DNR’s website: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/shelter.html
Photo courtesy of the Minnesota DNR
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